Crewsaver Tipsy Icicle Series 2014 at Leigh & Lowton Sailing Club - Day 11
by Paul Heath 18 Mar 2014 14:45 GMT
16 March 2014
It was a case of 'saving the best until last' for the final weekend of the Crewsaver Tipsy Icicle series at Leigh & Lowton Sailing Club. After what seemed like a month or more of light southerly winds 60 competitors arrived to find a 16 knot westerly breeze blowing straight down the Flash allowing the race officer to use the entire length of the water to stretch the hiking legs of the fleet and allow for fast downwind sailing.
During the first race the average wind speed was 16 knots with gusts of 26 knots recorded. This resulted in many capsizes and retirements as the wind strength increased as the day went on.
The 14 strong Laser fleet started first and the early running was made by Stuart Belfield (LLSC) but as the race went on and limbs began to tire it was series Greg Marshall (WLYC) who worked his way into the lead to take the win. Just before the end Belfield was passed by Neil Skellam (LLSC) with Glyn Purnell (LLSC – Radial) finishing off the top four.
Second fleet away was the 22 boat handicap fleet which this week included 9 Solos. This weekend saw a new entry, the Fireball of Alex Taylor/Geoff Edwards from Budworth SC and they revelled in the conditions and sailed brilliantly to take first place. The two Enterprises of Alan Johnson/Paula Fisher (SSC/SCYC) and Mark Lunn/Steve Blackburn (LLSC) proved that after last weekends results they don't just go fast in the light stuff as once again they battled it out between themselves to finish the race in second and third place while series leader Andy Flitcroft (Bolton SC – Supernova), having seen both of his closest challengers for the series retire from the race, took fourth.
In the Solo fleet the returning Phil Barnes (Budworth SC) took an early lead with Paul Heath (LLSC) close behind. Barnes then had a near capsize at the gybe mark which allowed Heath to take the lead but a short while later Heath had a sudden parting from his boat which then sailed away from him before it then did an inverted capsize. Barnes recovered to reclaim the lead and was pursued by series leader Patrick Hamilton (Burwain SC) These two had a battle but Barnes sailed well to take the win from Hamilton. Andy Fox (LLSC) came home in third and Heath fourth.
In the 11 boat Asymmetric fleet it was a first appearance for Lucy Yeates/Jamie Catchpole (LLSC) in their 29er and the conditions suited them fine as they showed the rest of the fleet the way home to cross the line first and take the win on corrected time. After several weekends away Chris Pickles/Matt Sharman (Delph SC- RS400) returned to and were leading the rest of the fleet until a short distance from the end were they were caught and overtaken by the RS400 of series leaders Paul/Jude Allen (LLSC) who took second on corrected time. Pickles/Sharman had to settle for third while the RS400 of Martin 'mast rake' Parker/Liam Parker (LLSC) rounded off the top four.
This weekend, with the Optimist fleet being away at a training event, the top four positions in both races of the 13 strong junior fleet were taken by Toppers. Series leader Oliver Blackburn (LLSC – Topper) recorded his seventh win of the series with Sam Platt (Bolton SC) second. Lucy Mearns (LLSC) hit the water for the first time in the series and finished third while Steph Wingeatt rounded off the top four.
During lunch the chat was about the amazing speed of the Fireball, the fast downwind legs, how many capsizes everybody did (or nearly did) and, with a glance out of the windows, the increasing breeze for the final race of the series.
The wind direction stayed true but had increased with an average of 18 knots and gusts of over 30 knots recorded.
Graham McWhirter (UKLA) led the Laser fleet around the first mark as his radial rig proved its worth up the long beat in the big breeze. Off wind he was caught and overtaken by Marshall and Belfield. In the end it was Marshall who once again took the win and with it the overall series. Second home was Belfield and he was followed by the radial rigs of Hayden Griffiths (LLSC) with his best result of the series in third and Purnell in fourth.
In the handicap fleet there was no stopping the Fireball as it did a repeat performance and blitzed the field to take the win. Having missed the first race the GP14 of Greg Thomas/Sarah Allen (Southport SC) worked hard to take second place, the Albacore of Mike Banner/Mark Atherton (LLSC) third and Johnson/Fisher in the Enterprise fourth.
There was one less boat in the Solo fleet start as Heath stayed ashore to nurse his bruised ribs. Barnes took an early lead and was pursued by Hamilton, Fox and Steve Ferrington (West Kirby SC) Hamilton pulled through to take the win and with it the overall series. Barnes finished second, Foxy was third and Ferrington fourth.
Although first across the finish line in the Asymmetric fleet the 29er of Yeates/Catchpole had to settle for second in this race. A collision during the race caused the retirement of Pickles/Sharman so it was the Allens who went one better to take the win on corrected time and the overall series. Bill Kenyon/Andy Dawson (Budworth SC) came home in third and the consistent Parkers in fourth.
Two less boats went out for the final junior race but it was the same race winner as Oliver Blackburn took it and the overall series. Lucy Yeates went one better to take second as Sam Platt slipped to third and, after a retirement in the first race, Anja Haji-Michael finished fourth.
At the prize giving the overall top three in each fleet were presented with prizes from series sponsor Crewsavers new Phase2 dinghy sailing range which is now available in numerous chandlery's around the UK. On behalf of the visitors Greg Marshall made a speech in which he thanked all those involved in the organization and running of the series, the ladies behind the galley and the series sponsor Crewsaver for his brand new buoyancy aid and their support of the series.
As a final count the total number of boats that have had on the water during the series and crossed the start line during the Crewsaver Tipsy Icicle series, is 186.
Full results can be found at www.llsc.org.uk/LLSC/Results/2014Tipsy.htm